My time in the Yoga bubble is over and I am actually allowed to teach! I don’t think that has set in yet. If I look back to the four weeks of my teacher training experience, a congeries of pictures appear in my head. It feels like an overwhelming flashback – full of emotions, both positive and negative. Everything seems so surreal, almost like a dream.

The first week was like dipping into a whole new world. Everything was new, exciting and different. Even though I had to follow my job as a teacher in the first three days of the training, I also had the feeling of being completely consumed by the yoga bubble. You start to think, breathe, live yoga all day long (sometimes even night). It wasn’t a weird feeling at all as there was no time to question your current lifestyle. And this attitude remained till the end of the training. It would be a lie if I said that I didn’t have times where I thought, “what am I doing here? Is everything worth it in the end?”

But as quick as these thoughts came up, they disappeared. Why did they disappear? One of the main reasons were the people, who became your study buddies, your friends, and your family throughout this journey. We created a kind of group dynamic and that was a huge motivation to go on and study more. This bond grew week by week, and in the end, we did not want to leave each other.

The other approach, which was developed stage by stage or week by week, was the amount of knowledge. I did not know that it is possible to learn so much in such a short time (and I’m a history teacher!) This perception relates not only to the study of yoga essentials and postures but for learning as a whole.

The teacher training was not only beneficial for my mind, but also for my body. To see how much Yoga my body can do and wants to do was surprising. I did a lot of yoga challenges in the past years, but the amount of work in the training was a different story. How? Well, for starters, you are totally focused on giving 100%, especially because you want to try the new things. Another factor that pushes your own practice was the group dynamic. If you see these hard working yogis all around you, you want to be part of it. Even when your muscles are sore and you actually can´t move, you also can´t resist. You want to do the posture, and you want to feel the posture.

Another stage of the training, which is maybe not that obvious, is the spiritual growth. The lectures guided you through thoughts, which you have never thought before. There was a new horizon showing up. This kind of extension of your own thinking changes your self-awareness, not only the studies of yoga sutras or the meditations but even more the discussions in the group lead to this awareness.

Coming back to my question, is it worth it? To sum up what only four weeks of the evolation yoga teacher training brought me: awareness about learning, about the potential of your mind and your body, spiritual extension, new friends even a new family. If I look at this, I am willing to say: everybody should do something like a yoga teacher training in life.

Evolation yoga is devoted to helping you become more Self-centered – in an ego-free way. By combining the powerful physical properties of hot yoga with the awareness-enhancing effects of meditation, evolation’s aim is to make you healthier, happier, and more in touch with that elusive little thing called the Self.

Would you like to learn how to have the correct alignment in your yoga practice? Evolation Yoga Teacher Training offers hands on assistance with the how and why of both the hot and flow posture sequences.

Do you feel intimidated by the idea of taking a yoga teacher training? Is it hard, or impossible, to imagine yourself guiding a room full of yogis? You’re not alone. The following are some of the main concerns many people have before embarking on their yoga journey

Kailua is home to a long, graceful bay which is also protected by a coral reef. The nearly 4-mile-long stretch of ivory sand is made for strolling, and the weather and wave conditions can be just about perfect for swimming, kayaking, windsurfing and kitesurfing.

The reason I return to evolation trainings is, one, the community is so welcoming and filled with joy, that it’s a great break from day to day life. However the main reason is that I am always learning something new.

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We’ve said it before and will say again that your teacher training experience begins the day you decide to register for training. That’s right! While you may not be on-site with other trainees and learning through your immersion experience each day, the learning process begins as soon as you decide to register. It starts with your first “Yes!” to your transformational yoga journey.

Have you ever noticed how some days, despite your best intentions, you just have a really hard time mustering up the willpower to go to a yoga class? I get it— it can feel like a big commitment to take an hour out of your day and make it to your mat, but I also know that once I’ve made it to class, I’m always happy that I went!

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to keep your mat clean as it is your bed linens! You might have tried a few things, but if you need some help in keeping your mat clean, here are 10 ways to maintain your mat.